Leak Repair Policy
We at Barnhill Chimney strive for excellence in the assessment and abatement of leak issues. Our skilled technicians are field-trained to recognize a variety of water entry patterns and analyze potentially complicated leak sources. Every leak is different, and many times water is entering the chimney in more than one area.
The major points of water entry are:
- Chase cover or cap – This solid metal cover is the chimney’s primary defense against water entry. A chase cover generally covers prefabricated chimneys; a chimney cap generally covers masonry chimneys. If the chase cover or cap is rusted, damaged, missing, or otherwise compromised, water can get beneath it and cause damage.
- Crown – This is the concrete pour which forms the top of a masonry chimney. Like all masonry products, the crown will deteriorate over time, allowing water to enter the underlying masonry structure.
- Flashing – This is the metal shielding which surrounds the junction of the chimney with the roofline. Flashing is integrated with both the chimney and the roof and prevents water from entering the structure at this point. Deteriorated or improperly installed flashing is the source of many destructive leaks.
- Cricket – This is a peak in the roof located behind a chimney, which allows water to break around the chimney structure instead of pooling behind it. If your chimney is more than thirty inches wide and intersects with the downward slope of the roof, then a cricket should be in place to channel water toward the gutter.
- Masonry deterioration – Water entry causes masonry to deteriorate. If the initial source of water entry is not repaired, then the gradual deterioration of the structure allows more and more points of entry to open up. As the number of water entry points increases, the deterioration of the structure becomes exponentially worse.
Our leak assessments are based on addressing the most obvious point of possible water entry. By addressing the major defects first, we eliminate the possibility of doing unnecessary work on your chimney. If the initial solution does not totally repair the leak, then it is an indication that there is a compound source of water entry and additional repairs may be advised. It is our goal to efficiently and methodically address the source of your leak and ensure that it is repaired properly and permanently.
All phases of the leak abatement process are individually submitted for customer approval before any work begins. Because of the dynamic nature of water entry, no guarantees are put forth regarding the effectiveness of any individual stage of the leak repair.
